Voters in the Pittsford Central School District will head to the polls on May 19 to elect two new members to the district’s seven-member Board of Education.
There are three candidates running for two open seats; one of the candidates is an incumbent seeking reelection. Board members serve a three-year term.
The vote will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at Calkins Road Middle School, 1899 Calkins Road. Voters will also weigh in on the school budget, bus and technology purchases and new signage.
Who’s running for Pittsford school board?
The candidates are:
Meet the Pittsford school board candidates
John Pizzutelli
Age: 44
City/town of residence: Pittsford
Family: Married with two children who attend Pittsford schools
Occupation: Worked for the district in several roles, including long-term substitute teacher and lunchroom/playground monitor.
Community involvement: Currently serves as co-chair of the Barker Road Middle School PTSA, on the district PTSA executive board, and as the PTSA representative for multiple administrative interview committees. Previously served as co-chair of the Mendon Center Elementary School PTSA. He is also a coach with the Mustangs Soccer Club.
Previous political or public service experience: N/A
What is the main issue facing your school district and how would you seek to address it if elected?: Pittsford schools are consistently recognized among the top districts in our region, our state, and the nation. That success reflects our community’s longstanding commitment to providing a well-rounded education and creating opportunities for every student to achieve at a high level.
One of the most important challenges we face is continuing to attract and retain exceptional teachers and staff. Across the country, the pipeline of new educators is at one of its lowest levels in decades, making competition for top talent increasingly difficult.
Through my work as a substitute teacher and as an active member of the Pittsford PTSA, I have spent significant time in our schools and have seen firsthand the dedication, care, and professionalism of our staff. If elected, I will work collaboratively with the Board of Education, district leadership, and our community to ensure Pittsford remains a place where outstanding educators want to work and grow. Our students thrive when they are supported by talented, caring adults, and we must continue doing everything we can to provide them with that foundation.
Robin Scott
Age: 66
City/town of residence: Pittsford
Family: Married with one child who graduated from Pittsford Mendon High School
Occupation: Community volunteer
Community involvement: Served on the Monroe County School Boards Association executive, leadership, information exchange and legislative committees. Currently a member of the Pittsford Central School District audit oversight committee. Previously served on the district planning team, inclusivity advisory committee, the Code of Conduct review committee, teacher center policy board and interview committees. Scott also served as president of the Pittsford District PTSA, vice president of the education council, chair of enrichment grants, district PTSA secretary and Thornell Road School Building Chair. She is a recipient of the 2020 PTSA Honorary Life Membership Award.
Previous political or public service experience: Current school board member, first elected in 2020. Previously served as school board president.
What is the main issue facing your school district and how would you seek to address it if elected?: One of the ongoing issues facing our school district is the 2% property tax cap now coupled with several unfunded state mandates. Two such unfunded mandates are for 100% school electric buses by 2035 and heat mitigation for the “seasoned” and primarily unairconditioned buildings in our district. If reelected, I would continue to advocate for new and dedicated funding streams for electric bus, air conditioning conversion, and infrastructure purchases.
Anwar Upal
Age: 48
City/town of residence: Pittsford
Family: Married with three children, all educated in Pittsford schools.
Occupation: Research & development program manager and principal engineer with Bausch & Lomb. Inventor on six granted U.S. patents.
Community involvement: PTSA member and parent volunteer at Mendon Center Elementary (chess club, storytime, classroom activities); youth sports coach in Pittsford for over a decade. Also serves as a member of the University of Rochester Institute of Optics Industrial Associates Council; industry mentor to Simon Business School MBA capstone program; guest lecturer on engineering and product development at universities including RIT, MIT, Tufts, Brown and the University of Rochester; and is active in the Pittsford community through local interfaith partnerships.
Previous political or public service experience: First-time candidate for elected office. Co-founder of Therapeutic Innovations, a nonprofit that developed low-cost pediatric medical devices for newborns in low-income countries. Longtime mentor of engineering co-ops, interns, and graduate students. Former grant reviewer for the FDA-funded New England Pediatric Device Consortium and volunteer with the Project Management Institute (PMI) Rochester chapter’s anti-poverty initiative partnership.
What is the main issue facing your school district and how would you seek to address it if elected?: Pittsford’s greatest challenge is sustaining academic excellence amid fiscal pressure, without losing the rigor and individualized support that define our district. Three priorities would guide my work. First, disciplined multi-year planning instead of annual firefighting. As an engineering program manager, I charter programs, build business cases, and manage multi-million dollar budgets through execution — our district deserves that same rigor, and our savings should be reinvested in students and teachers, not absorbed by overhead. Second, you can’t improve what you can’t measure. I would push for clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to student outcomes, with transparent reporting on what is working and how to improve. Third, treating mental health, enrichment, and teacher support as essential to excellence, not separate from it. I am running as an independent candidate — not endorsed by any party, organization, or interest group, accountable only to Pittsford families.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Who’s running for Pittsford school board and what candidates say
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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